Bulgarian history today marks one of the most fateful and turning points, which completely changed the political and state image of the country. Hand September 15, 2026 end exactly 80 years since the referendum, with which Bulgaria changed its form of government and proclaimed itself a People's Republic. This event put a final end to the era of monarchy in our country and paved the way for the total Sovietization of the state under the auspices of the Bulgarian Communist Party.
The Historical Context: Referendum under the Dictation of the Fatherland Front
In September 1946, the country found itself in a complex geopolitical situation. Bulgaria was occupied by the Red Army, and power was in the hands of the Fatherland Front (F) government, dominated by communists. At On September 8, 1946, a referendum was held in which citizens had to choose between a monarchy and a republic.
According to the official data at the time:
Participating in the referendum over 91% of those eligible to vote. Vote to abolish the monarchy and declare a republic 92.72% of voters. Only 4.24% support retaining the royal crown.Historians still argue about the legitimacy of the vote. While some point out that at that time republican ideas were widely popular among all political forces (including the opposition), others emphasize that the presence of Soviet troops and the massive psychological pressure from the new government made free choice practically impossible.
The Exile of the Tsarist Family
A week after the referendum, on September 15, 1946, the 26th Ordinary National Assembly officially proclaimed Bulgaria a People's Republic. The very next day — September 16 — the infant Tsar Simeon II, his mother Queen Joanna and his sister Princess Maria-Louise were forced to immediately leave the borders of their homeland. They went into exile, initially to Egypt, and later settled in Spain. Thus ended the Third Bulgarian Kingdom, which had begun in 1878.
The proclamation of the republic was followed by the convening of a Grand National Assembly, which in December 1947 adopted the so-called “Dimitrov Constitution“. It finally legitimized the totalitarian one-party model and the country's subordination to the Soviet bloc for the next four decades. Today, 80 years later, the date remains an occasion for a deep social and historical analysis of the cost of political changes in Bulgaria.